The University of Virginia and William & Mary retained their spots as the No. 2 and No. 6 public college in the nation, respectively.

CNU is No. 3 among up-and-coming regional universities in the south, up three spots from last year; No. 8 among top public regional universities in the south, up one spot form last year. It’s also No. 23 on the overall regional university list for the south.

Rankings were based on factors including student retention, class size, average admissions test scores, faculty pay and alumni giving.

The methodology to rank colleges is debatable and the results are more important to schools and alumni than for college applicants, says Jieun Choe, executive director of college admissions and K-12 programs for Kaplan Test Prep.

“Our advice to students is to forget about where a college falls in the rankings,” he said in a news release. “Find schools that have the academic programs and social environment they want, visit the schools and talk to students and alumni.

“Ultimately, students should just apply to schools that are the best overall ‘fit’ for their academic, financial and lifestyle needs.”

For the complete list and details on every ranked college or university, click here.